www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 18, 2007 - 33 Artscene Oakville Beaver · FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2007 By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 33 Farewell performance for Children's Choir founder The founder of the Oakville Children's Choir is leaving behind what she started. Glenda Crawford, who since 1994 guided the now more than 100 student strong choir, is stepping down as its music director. "I've been doing this 13 years, and that's a long time," Crawford told The Oakville Beaver. "I've been getting restless about trying to do something a little more than I've been able to do in the environment I'm in with the choir. "I think it's just time for me to do something different." After Crawford announced she would be resigning at the end of this season, the OCC's board of directors selected vocal and choral director of Appleby College, Sarah Morrison, as her successor. Morrison will now be responsible for the many things the music director role encompasses, including everything from co-ordinating the music program and working with the singers to organizing parent volunteers and working with the board of directors on other tasks. As Crawford put it, "It's a full-time job." While Crawford will be leaving the OCC, the mother of two says she'll be sticking with music, which has been a passion of hers since a young age. "When I was in high school, someone suggested that I go into music, and the choir just really spoke to me," she said. "I've been involved ever since." A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Crawford holds a Master of Music, Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Music Education honours degree, with plans to pursue a doctorate in the future. Now teaching music part-time at Brock University, Crawford says she'll continue to work with children's choirs in a freelance capacity, as well as run clinics and workshops once her work with the OCC is done. "It's evident that I'm ready to do something different where I'm really satisfied "My goal was that we would be a real leader in the children's choir community. When you step back and look at it, and look at all we've been able to do, I'm proud." Glenda Crawford, Founding director of the Oakville Children's Choir BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER LAST HURRAH: Founder of the Oakville Children's Choir, Glenda Crawford, is stepping down as its music director. Crawford will appear in her final concert with the choir on Saturday, May 26. with the musical product," she said. While Crawford admits it's a difficult decision to step down from the OCC, she says the organization did attain the goal she set for it more than a decade ago. "My whole vision for the choir was to have it not only musically excellent, but really community based, and it's not always easy to get everyone to buy into that," she said. "My goal was that we would be a real leader in the children's choir community. When you step back and look at it, and look at all we've been able to do, I'm proud." Comparing the OCC now to when it started in 1994, Crawford says there's been a lot of growth and change. "When it started, it was just me doing really everything, and trying to get people to buy into a children's choir program, a community choir program," she said. There were about 40 students at that time. Now, the OCC is more than 150 strong. While she's ready to move on, Crawford admits she'll miss the OCC. "I think the process of working with children and taking them from where they're at musically and giving them skills, watching them work and capture the joy of music, that's what I've really enjoyed," she said, smiling. Many kids have been singing with the OCC from the age of seven to 18, Crawford says, and she's been working with them that entire time. "It's like watching my own children grow See Crawford page 34